Knockdown crate.



No. 74 .199. PATENTED DEO.8,1903.

J. E. SYMBS & B. K. BOYD.

KNOGKDOWN CRATE. APPLIOATION FILED mgzs, 19 2.

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WITNESSES.

No. 746,199. PiATENTED DEC. '8, 1903. J; B. SYMBS & B. K. BOYD.

. KNOCKDOWN CRATE.

APPLICATION FILED we. 23, 1902.

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'' UNITED STATES Patented December 8, 1903. i

PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES E. SYMES AND BERTRON K. BOYD, OF BANOROFT, MICHIGAN.

KNOCKDOWN'CBATE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 746,199, datedDecemberfi, 1903.

Application filed August 23, 1902. Serial No. 120.776. (No model.) 7

Our invention has for its object certain new and useful improvements inknockdown crates; and it consists of the construction, combination, andarrangement of devices hereinafter described and claimed, andillustrated in the accompanying drawings, in

which Figure 1 is a view in perspective. Fig. 2 is a detail view of thebottom in perspective. Fig. 3 is a detail view in perspective showingone of the sides. I one of the ends. Fig. 5 is a plan view of one of thecorners. Figs.-6, 7, 8, and 9 aresimilar views to Fig. 5, showingmodifications of construction. Fig. illustratesin detail anothermodification.

The aim of ourinvention is to form a knockdown crate of simple andeconomical construction. We carry out our invention as follows:

In the drawings, a represents the sides of the crate, b the ends, andcthe bottom thereof. The sides are preferably formed of slate d andvertical corner-posts e. The ends may be formed in a similar manner ofslats f with corner-posts g. The bottom may be formed of bottom slats hand transverse endslats 2'.

One of the chief features of our invention is to provide a crate withsliding corner-posts, or, in other words, in which the corner-posts ofthe end portions and the corner-posts of the side portions havevertically-sliding engagem'ent the one with the other, so that the endportions, for example, may be lifted out of engagement with the sideportions when it is desired to knock down the crate. To this end thecorner-posts of the sides and ends are constructed the one to slideintothe other, the two sets of posts thus interlocking tohold the sidesand ends together. Our invention contemplates various modifications inthe con-- struction of the side and end posts to thus Fig. 4 is a detailview of' slides vertically the'one into the other, the va-' .riousmodifications all embodying the same general principle of construction.Thus in Fig. 5 one of the portions of the frameas a side portion, forexample-is provided with a corner-post having an undercut groovefj,while the adjacent portion, as the adjacent end portion, is providedwith a post beveled at one edge, as at k, to form a dovetailedengagement in the groove j.

As shown in Fig. 6, the post 6 of the side portion is formed with anundercut groove j, as in Fig. 5, while the post 9 of the adjacent endportion is similarly constructed, the two posts e and g interlocking andhaving a' vertically-sliding engagement the one with the other. -It willbe evident that the two corner-posts in Frg. 6 are similarlyconstructed, but are reversed in their engagement with their adjacentparts. 7 As shown in Fig. 7, the post 9 is provided withatongue Z,entering a groove m in the post e,-the post 2 being also formed with atongue 12, entering a groovep in the post g.

In Fig. 8 the two posts are of like construction, both being formed likethe post e,

(shown in Fig. 7,) but being engaged with their adjacent portions ineversed positions.

In Fig. 9 the cornerposts e and 9 instead of being engaged upon theinside of the sides and ends of the crate, as shown .in previousfigures, are arranged upon the outside thereof.

It will be perceived that the separable bottom comprises a base havingtransverse end slats rising thereabove, the'sides of the bottom betweensaid end slats being normally open. It will be seen that by forming thebottom with the transverse end slats 1' they serve at the same time forthe lower slats of the adjacent end portions, permitting the omission ofa c rresponding slaton the adjacent end portihn. side portionspreferably have a tongue-andgroove connection, as shown at q, Fig. 1;but this form of connection maybe omitted, however, as indicated in Fig.10. 'f

' Any suitable fastening device may be employed to fasten the bottomwith the side or end portions. Where the sides and end slats ot' thebottom have a tongue-and-groove connection, the tongue and grooves maybe so ar- Thelower slats on the ranged as to interlock the bottom andsides. We have shown the bottom provided with latches 0*, having apivotal connection therewith to clasp over one of the slats of theadjacent end portion.

In case the tongne-and-groove connection of the sides and bottom isdispensed with they may readily be held together by a nail or pin 3.

What we claim as our invention is- 1. A knockdown crate having incombination side and end walls each provided at its extremities withcorner-posts, the adjacent corner-posts of the side and end walls havinga vertically-sliding engagement the one with the other, a separablebottom having a base and transverse end slats rising above the base, thesides of said bottom between said end slats being normally open, andmeans to lock the parts together when set up, the transverse end slatsof the bottom located outside the corner-posts and forming a part of theend Walls when the crate is set up, the side walls extending downward tosaid base between said end slats.

2. A knockdown crate having in combination side and end wallsformed'with vertical corner-posts, the adjacent side and endcorner-posts having a vertically-sliding engagement the one with theother, a separable bot tom having a base and transverse end slats risingabove the base, the sides of said bottorn between said end slats beingnormally open, the extremities of said end slats of the bottom locatedoutside said posts and having a tongue-and-groove connection with theadjacent side walls, the transverse end slats of the bottom forming apart of the end walls when the crate is set up, the side walls extendingdownward between said end slats.

3. A knockdown crate having in combina tion side and end walls eachprovided at its extremities with vertical corner-posts, the adjacentcorner-posts of the side and end walls having a sliding engagement theone with the other, a separable bottom having a base and transverse endslats rising above the base, the sides of said bottom between said endslats being normally open, the transverse end slats of the bottomlocated outside the corner-posts and forming a part of the end wallswhen the crate is set up, the side Walls extending downward between saidend slats, the extremities of the transverse end slats having a rabbetedengagement with the adjacent portions of the corresponding side walls.

4. A knockdown crate having in combination side and end walls eachprovided at its extremities with vertical posts, the adjacentcorner-posts of the side and end walls having a verticallyslidingengagement the one with the other, a separable bottom having a base andtransverse end slats rising above the base, the sides of said bottombetween said end slats being normally open, and means to lock the partstogether when set up, the said transverse end slats extending above thelower ends of the corner-posts and forming a part of the end walls whenthe crate is set up, the side walls extending downward between said endslats.

In testimony whereof we have signed this specification in the presenceof two subscribing witnesses.

JAMES E. SYMES. BERTRON K. BOYD.

Witnesses:

CHAS. E. WARD, ROGER SHERMAN.

